andersonville-第76节
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out of the prisoners； and he set his wits to work in this direction。
One day； standing at the gate； he gave one of his peculiar yells that he
used to attract the attention of the camp with：
〃Wh…ah…ye！！〃
We all came to 〃attention；〃 and he announced：
〃Yesterday； while I wuz in the camps （a Rebel always says camps；） some of
you prisoners picked my pockets of seventy…five dollars in greenbacks。
Now； I give you notice that I'll not send in any moah rations till the
money's returned to me。〃
This was a very stupid method of extortion； since no one believed that he
had lost the money； and at all events he had no business to have the
greenbacks； as the Rebel laws imposed severe penalties upon any citizen；
and still more upon any soldier dealing with； or having in his possession
any of 〃the money of the enemy。〃 We did without rations until night；
when they were sent in。 There was a story that some of the boys in the
prison had contributed to make up part of the sum； and Davis took it and
was satisfied。 I do not know how true the story was。 At another time
some of the boys stole the bridle and halter off an old horse that was
driven in with a cart。 The things were worth； at a liberal estimate；
one dollar。 Davis cut off the rations of the whole six thousand of us
for one day for this。 We always imagined that the proceeds went into his
pocket。
A special exchange was arranged between our Navy Department and that of
the Rebels； by which all seamen and marines among us were exchanged。
Lists of these were sent to the different prisons and the men called for。
About three…fourths of them were dead； but many soldiers divining； the
situation of affairs； answered to the dead men's names； went away with
the squad and were exchanged。 Much of this was through the connivance of
the Rebel officers； who favored those who had ingratiated themselves with
them。 In many instances money was paid to secure this privilege； and I
have been informed on good authority that Jack Huckleby； of the Eighth
Tennessee； and Ira Beverly； of the One Hundredth Ohio； who kept the big
sutler shop on the North Side at Andersonville； paid Davis five hundred
dollars each to be allowed to go with the sailors。 As for Andrews and
me； we had no friends among the Rebels； nor money to bribe with； so we
stood no show。
The rations issued to us for some time after our arrival seemed riotous
luxury to what we had been getting at Andersonville。 Each of us received
daily a half…dozen rude and coarse imitations of our fondly…remembered
hard tack； and with these a small piece of meat or a few spoonfuls of
molasses； and a quart or so of vinegar； and several plugs of tobacco for
each hundred。〃 How exquisite was the taste of the crackers and molasses！
It was the first wheat bread I had eaten since my entry into Richmond
nine months beforeand molasses had been a stranger to me for years。
After the corn bread we had so long lived upon； this was manna。 It seems
that the Commissary at Savannah labored under the delusion that he must
issue to us the same rations as were served out to the Rebel soldiers and
sailors。 It was some little time before the fearful mistake came to the
knowledge of Winder。 I fancy that the news almost threw him into an
apoplectic fit。 Nothing； save his being ordered to the front； could have
caused him such poignant sorrow as the information that so much good food
had been worse than wasted in undoing his work by building up the bodies
of his hated enemies。
Without being told； we knew that he had been heard from when the tobacco；
vinegar and molasses failed to come in； and the crackers gave way to corn
meal。 Still this was a vast improvement on Andersonville； as the meal
was fine and sweet； and we each had a spoonful of salt issued to us
regularly。
I am quite sure that I cannot make the reader who has not had an
experience similar to ours comprehend the wonderful importance to us of
that spoonful of salt。 Whether or not the appetite for salt be； as some
scientists claim； a purely artificial want； one thing is certain； and
that is； that either the habit of countless generations or some other
cause； has so deeply ingrained it into our common nature； that it has
come to be nearly as essential as food itself； and no amount of
deprivation can accustom us to its absence。 Rather； it seemed that the
longer we did without it the more overpowering became our craving。
I could get along to…day and to…morrow； perhaps the whole week； without
salt in my food； since the lack would be supplied from the excess I had
already swallowed； but at the end of that time Nature would begin to
demand that I renew the supply of saline constituent of my tissues； and
she would become more clamorous with every day that I neglected her
bidding； and finally summon Nausea to aid Longing。
The light artillery of the garrison of Savannahfour batteries； twenty…
four pieceswas stationed around three sides of the prison； the guns
unlimbered； planted at convenient distance； and trained upon us； ready
for instant use。 We could see all the grinning mouths through the cracks
in the fence。 There were enough of them to send us as high as the
traditional kite flown by Gilderoy。 The having at his beck this array of
frowning metal lent Lieutenant Davis such an importance in his own eyes
that his demeanor swelled to the grandiose。 It became very amusing to
see him puff up and vaunt over it； as he did on every possible occasion。
For instance； finding a crowd of several hundred lounging around the
gate； he would throw open the wicket； stalk in with the air of a Jove
threatening a rebellious world with the dread thunders of heaven； and
shout：
〃W…h…a…a y…e…e！ Prisoners； I give you jist two minutes to cleah away
from this gate； aw I'll open on ye wid de ahtillery！〃
One of the buglers of the artillery was a superb musicianevidently some
old 〃regular〃 whom the Confederacy had seduced into its service； and his
instrument was so sweet toned that we imagined that it was made of
silver。 The calls he played were nearly the same as we used in the
cavalry； and for the first few days we became bitterly homesick every
time he sent ringing out the old familiar signals； that to us were so
closely associated with what now seemed the bright and happy days when we
were in the field with our battalion。 If we were only back in the
valleys of Tennessee with what alacrity we would respond to that
〃assembly；〃 no Orderly's patience would be worn out in getting laggards
and lazy ones to 〃fall in for roll…call；〃 how eagerly we would attend to
〃stable duty；〃 how gladly mount our faithful horses and ride away to
〃water；〃 and what bareback races ride； going and coming。 We would be
even glad to hear 〃guard 〃 and 〃drill〃 sounded； and there would be music
in the disconsolate 〃surgeon's call：〃
〃Come…get…your…q…n…i…n…i…n…e； come； get your quinine； It'll make you
sad： It'll make you sick。 Come； come。〃
O； if we were only back； what admirable soldiers we would be！
One morning； about three or four o'clock； we were awakened by the ground
shaking and a series of heavy； dull thumps sounding oft seaward。
Our silver…voiced bugler seemed to be awakened； too。 He set the echoes
ringing with a vigorously played 〃reveille；〃 a minute later came an
equally earnest 〃assembly；〃 and when 〃boots and saddles〃 followed； we
knew that all was not well in Denmark； the thumping and shaking now had
a significance。 It meant heavy Yankee guns somewhere near。 We heard the
gunners hitching up； the bugle signal 〃forward；〃 the wheels roll off；
and for a half hour afterwards we caught the receding sound of the bugle
commanding 〃right turn；〃 〃left turn；〃 etc。； as the batteries marched
away。 Of course； we became considerably wrought up over the matter；
as we fancied that； knowing we were in Savannah； our vessels were trying
to pass up to the City and take it。 The thumping and shaking continued
until late in the afternoon。
We subsequently learned that some of our blockaders； finding time banging
heavy upon their hands； had essayed a little diversion by knocking Forts
Jackson and Bledsoetwo small forts defending the passage of the
Savannahabout their defenders' ears。 After capturing the forts our
folks desisted and came no farther。
Quite a number of the old Raider crowd had come with us from
Andersonville。 Among these was the shyster； Peter Bradley。 They kept up
their old tactics of hanging around the gates； and currying favor with
the Rebels in every possible way； in hopes to get paroles outside or
other favors。 The great mass of the prisoners were so bitter against the
Rebels as to feel that they would rather die than ask or accept a favor
from their hands； and they had little else than contempt for these
trucklers。 The raider crowd's favorite theme of conversation with the
Rebels was the strong discontent of the boys with the manner of their
treatment by our Government。 The assertion that there was any such
widespread feeling was utterly false。 We all had confidenceas we
continue to have to this daythat our Government would do everything for
us possible； consistent with its honor； and the success
